Star Trek Year Five #11: Look What The Cat Dragged In

I’ve you’ve never seen the original Star Trek series episode “Assignment Earth,” you’re going to want to watch that before reading this comic, as it features the character of Gary Seven. I didn’t know that going in and I think I would’ve enjoyed the issue more if I had. Authors Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly put together one of the most intricate plots I’ve ever seen in all my years as a comic reader. They not only call upon stuff from TV episodes, they use things that have taken place earlier in the series including some very nice Easter eggs for fans of the series. We get a LOT of character stuff in this issue, which is nice. Even with the thousands and thousands of stories that have been read about these characters, Lanzing & Kelly seem to bring something new to them, something that hasn’t been revealed before. They manage to keep them interesting even though they’re very familiar which again, is a real treat for readers of this series. It’s an intricate plot that can only take place at this point in Star Trek history, and they don’t miss a beat with characters, tone, mood, humor, or anything else. What I loved most is that they bring original characters in and make them as important as the main players.

Artists Stephen Thompson & Maria Keane are awesome! You really have to see their work to believe it, but let me say that the page layouts they use this issue are some of the most unique I’ve ever seen. From standard shots to extreme close-ups, they manage to capture the spirit of the original series incredibly. This book Is as fun to look at as it is to read.